OFP:DR Patch 1.02 date set

The new and long-awaited patch for Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising is nearly on the verge of being released.

With the XBOX 360 patch already out, PC gamers have been awaiting in anticipation for the same patch for Dragon Rising, hoping for some major changes. Slowly, the game is being ironed out by Codemasters to fix the little bugs and flaws that have had the forums filled with cries of desparation. The Community Manager has listened and this patch looks to be what everyone has been waiting for. However, it is still in the testing and we are waiting on a release date from Helios, the Community Manager for Codemasters.

***UPDATE***

We have now received word on the new patch for Dragon Rising, which will be released Wednesday 27th January. Here us what Helios, had to say:

Hi all, bit of news to end the week with for you.

I've just had it confirmed to me that the release date for the 2nd patch and Overwatch DLC for the PC will be next Weds (27th Jan).

*******

Here is the Patch Fixlist:

• Support added for 2 new PvP game modes included in DLC Pack 2
  
  
• The host is now able to press "Start" button to ready up and begin the 10 second countdown into game irrespective of whether all players are ready or not.
  
  
• Improved multiplayer stability.
  
  
• Online synchronisation has been improved mitigating various issues such as shots fired not being registered and missing animations
  
  
• Medics no longer become unable to move if the player they are trying to heal attempts to heal themselves at the same time.
  
  
• The corpse looting inventory now appears appropriately when characters are killed
  
  
• The corpse looting inventory updates appropriately when swapping weapons.
  
  
• Tweaks and amends to enemy and friendly AI.
  
  
• The damaged vehicle icon no longer becomes stuck on screen if the player is spawned into a vehicle just as it becomes critically damaged.
  
  
• Fly in camera at the start of the Lumber Yard Infiltration mission now behaves appropriately
  
  
• Alt-tabbing when in the lobby no longer causes graphical corruption on ground texture
  
  
• Speed hack checking has been activated to block 3rd party speed hacks during online games.
  
  
• Anti-cheat measures implemented to combat leaderboard hacking
  
  
• Ammo counter for Fire team leaders in PvP matches now counts down the remaining ammo correctly.
  
  
• Vehicle control responsiveness improved for clients, with input lag reduced
  
  
• Sessions that you cannot join such as those that contain DLC not present on the players machine appear as greyed out on the browse server screen.
  
  
• If someone without DLC is invited to a game that requires DLC content they will receive a message explaining this and the game can still be started. They no longer take up a space in the lobby.
  
  
• Improved On & Offline stability
  
  
• Player positioned appropriately after exiting a vehicle.
  
  
• Players are no longer able to access a locked vehicle by using an unlocked vehicle
  
  
• Mines are no longer triggered by neutral (inactive) vehicles
  
  
• Death cam view behaves correctly if the player dies whilst in a vehicle and swapping between 3rd & 1st person camera views
  
  
• It is no longer possible to enter aimed view mode while the weapon select OSD is open.
  
  
• Binocular functionality no longer impaired by previously selected inventory item.
  
  
• Weapon torches now turn off properly when swapping out the current weapon via ammo crates with the torch light switched on.
  
  
• Players stance is now correctly maintained after operating an emplaced weapon
  
  
• The player is now able to order a fire team under their control to operate an emplaced weapon
  
  
• "Move To" orders now correctly issued to the pilot rather than individual fire team members when mixed fire teams occupy the crew seats in helicopters.
  
  
• Helicopter chain guns no longer jam
  
  
• Weapons rotations for a.i. gyrostablised weapons are no longer updated if they've not got a target set.
  
  
• Weapon OSD for the M134 Minigun in the AH-6J Helicopter now displays the correct number of rounds loaded (9999).
  
  
• Helicopters no longer make inappropriate wheel contact surface sounds sound when flying over grassland.
  
  
• "Live Link" feature in the Mission Editor should now default to launch the game in Windowed mode
  
  
• The mission editor should now be able to read multiple databases so text strings can be easily added.
  
  
• Unavailable Bradley and ZBD200 squad references removed from Mission editor
  
  
• Mouse look sensitivity for mounted weapons is now aligned with other weapons
  
  
• Respawn timer now displayed in all game modes.
  
  
• Fixed crash using empty string with OFP:displaySystemMessage
  
  
• Fixed rare crash in AI input. Unchecked possible invalid cast in AI input.
  
  
• Changed client prediction code for extrapolating positions, based on how far in the past there is accurate server data. (Optimisation)
  
  
• getVelocities bug fix for helicopter suspension. Refactor removed getVelocities usage.
  
  
• Audio Feedback Manager can search blocked speakers list by name as well. (Optimisation)
  
  
• Destructor of commands is always called in the CommandPool. Prevents possible memory leaks.
  
  
• walkEchelonControlledSubUnits now recurses through only controlled units. Now processes correct sub units.
  
  
• Friendly fire feedback will revert to root echelon if no fireteam members are still alive. Processes feedback case correctly.
  
  
• Fixed clients showing low LOD back weapon between their feet after looting ammo crates.
  
  
• The player can now add custom audio and modify further AI parameters (Weapon usage values and dispersion system).

Hopefully, with the ironing out of the game through the patch we can come one-step closer to realising it's competitive gameplay, and maybe a goal that could be set for 2010 is for a LAN to feature this game. However, this is still a hazy future and one with uncertainties.

Details will be posted for download links once the patch has been released, however, for any of you wishing to add custom audio into the game, the Codemasters Team have kindly released a help-guide which can be found here.